AMI Entertainment Network recently announced a contest to celebrate Green Day and the release of their new album Father of All… The contest, open through Feb. 19, is available through the AMI Music app (on iOS and Android) or on any participating AMI jukebox. The grand prize winner will get the new album on vinyl, wireless Beats by Dre powerbeats earphones and a bundle that includes a t-shirt, guitar strap, digital album, decal sticker and keychain. Four runners-up with receive a vinyl copy of Father of All… Learn more at www.amientertainment.com.
Author: Matt Harding
Arachnid’s BullShooter 2019-20 Regional Tour team recently shared some more results from its qualifying tournaments – events held in New York and Texas. Betson Advance Distributing sponsored the New York event, and AVS Companies sponsored the one in Texas. The New York Regional took place Nov. 15-17 at the Sheraton Niagara Falls. Players came from all across New York, plus Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland and Canada to compete in the $12,000 qualifier. Among the winners: Kristin Schlosser and Jennifer Sims (Women’s Doubles 301), Patrick Christmas and Albert Bodolus (Men’s Doubles 501), Tyler Rettie (Pro Men’s Singles Cricket)…
Allyson Huron has joined the team at Coastal Amusements as their new sales representative, focusing on key domestic accounts. Huron brings eight years of account management to her new position. During her previous roles, she trained sales teams. She said she’s passionate about learning and development, and hopes to build strong and productive industry relationships. “I’m looking forward to working alongside the top industry vets here at Coastal,” she said. Reach her at 732-905-6662 ext. 234 or visit www.coastalamusements.com for more information. And for those attending Amusement Expo, stop by the Coastal booth to help welcome Allyson to the biz!
Nintendo is building a theme park at Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan, that’s being touted as a “life-size, living video game.” According to Business Insider, Super Nintendo World is expected to give visitors wristbands and a smartphone app that will allow them to compete against other visitors and collect gold coins. The venue is due to open ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (taking place July 24-Aug. 9). Universal also plans to open three more Super Nintendo World locations: in California, Florida and Singapore. Watch the teaser video here or visit www.usj.co.jp/e/nintendo for more details.
Laser tag maker Lasertron recently reported that Stars and Strikes founders Jack Canouse and Chris Albano decided to go with Lasertron’s LED Illuminated Arena in their new locations, starting with one in Concord, N.C. “We updated them on our latest innovations for our turnkey, 100 percent LED-illuminated Lasertron arena and LT12.9 game experience and what it could do for their next center,” the company wrote. Albano noted the large viewing windows that are possible with the arena enable guests to not only watch the action, but to really be drawn into playing the game themselves. The arena also comes with…
Joe Herbert, Brandon Horton and Steve Lamoreaux have each been promoted to regional sales managers in their respective areas, Betson Enterprises recently announced. Herbert is based out of Betson Florida and will help manage in the Southeast under the direction of regional sales director David Capilouto. Horton works out of the Betson Texas office, and will assist managing the Southwest with the area’s regional sales director Brian Serck. Utah-based Lamoreaux will work with regional sales director Mike McWilliams in the Mountain States and Pacific Northwest regions. “Joe, Brandon and Steve have all excelled since joining Betson,” said Jonathan Betti, senior…
The arcade bar boom seems to be in full force as BitBar is opening its second location in Temple, Texas, next month. Set for an early March debut, BitBar already has a location in nearby Killeen. The new venue will feature 30 classic arcade games from the 1970s, 80s and 90s, according to KWTX 10. Guests will pay an admission fee, and all games are set to free play. “I used to work in the Temple Mall at Tilts back in my freshman year of high school 20 years ago,” recalled owner Johnny Huang. “Who would have thought I’d own…
A Pac-Man-themed arcade, Pac-Man Zone, is expected at Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor, Mich., this spring. According to MLive, it’ll be a 4,600-sq.-ft. arcade. A Pac-Man Zone opened at Jackson Crossing mall in the Michigan city of Jackson last November. The video game-packed locations are popping up all across the country. Visit www.pacmanplay.com for more details.
Catching everyone up on a couple of BullShooter events: The 35th annual tour has stopped in Florida, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina, New York, Texas, Indiana and Tennessee so far (with a tournament today, Feb. 7, in Pennsylvania as well). BullShooter recently shared the results of the Ohio and South Carolina events, respectively held Oct. 25-27 and Nov. 1-3. In Ohio, the regional tour stop was held at the Clarion Hotel in Cincinnati, and featured players from the host state, plus Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Oklahoma and New York. Players battled it out for the $12,000 prize pool in 11…
New business partners Jeremy Shepherd and Evan Paul have had a longtime passion restoring classic arcade games. Now, they’ve decided to make some money with it. The pair are opening Wayback’s Arcade in Pineville, La., on Feb. 14, according to the Alexandria Town Talk. The arcade will start off with about 40 games, and customers will pay a $12 admission for unlimited all-day play or $35 for a monthly membership. “We joke that we’ve spent thousands of dollars on these cabinets with no real return,” Shepherd said. “A few months ago, we started talking about maybe turning this into a…